Daily Walk Through the New Testament

September 8

Answer the following questions about your reading this past week:

What areas of your life do you need to adjust in order to abide in Jesus? List any barriers that are keeping you from obedience and fruitfulness as you seek to follow Him.

2. How do you experience the presence and strength of the Holy Spirit in your everyday routine? Where is He leading you? What does He desire to empower you to be and do?

Daily Walk Through the New Testament

September 7
Read John 19:4-27

Guilt by association is not just a recent phenomenon. It was a reality in Jesus’ day as well. Lingering close to one who was crucified carried the risk of abuse, ridicule, harassment, and even condemnation and death. But there are times you simply do not leave those you love. So, near the cross of Jesus a small group of 4 women and 1 man remained, bound by love to risk staying by His side.
Today, Jesus calls you to remain near His cross. Will you?

Daily Walk Through the New Testament

September 6
Read John 18:19-19:3

Perhaps the most heartbreaking thing about tragic characters is their unfulfilled potential. Such was the case of the Roman procurator named Pilate. This powerful man, who was no doubt trained for leadership in the best of the Roman tradition, found himself incapable of doing what he knew was right as Jesus stood before him. Pilate recognized Jesus was innocent, yet he delivered the Lord to death anyway. Why did he cave in to his own cowardice? We can see 2 major reasons: First, Pilate valued expediency above truth (John 18:38). Second, he feared people more than God (18:40-19:1). Resist the temptation to be pragmatic or popular instead of obeying God.

Daily Walk Through the New Testament
September 5
Read John 17:20-18:18

All 4 Gospels tell about Jesus’ arrest in Gethsemane, but John alone described one extraordinary event that occurred there. The soldiers and religious leaders came to the garden demanding to see Jesus of Nazareth, and as recorded in the original language of the New Testament, Jesus replied with 3 words: “I am He.” Amazingly, these simple words from the Lord’s lips forced the arresting detachment to fall helplessly to the ground. Why? Because His captors were face-to-face with Christ’s majesty and deity, and they could not stand. God’s covenant name, which He revealed to Moses at the burning bush, is “I AM WHO I AM” (Exodus 3:14). It is this wonderful title that Jesus, the eternal Son of God claimed for Himself in the presence of His enemies.
You can take courage that Jesus, the great I AM, has the power to subdue all the powers of darkness, fear, and spiritual opposition, no matter what your circumstances are!

Daily Walk Through the New Testament
September 4
Read John 16:29-17:19

On the night before Jesus was crucified, the Lord Jesus prayed what has been called the greatest prayer recorded in Scripture. This High Priestly Prayer is one of intercession, as the Lord prayed for Himself and for His current and future disciples.
At the heart of this prayer, we can see several ways that Jesus prayed for His followers. He prayed for our unity, asking the Father that His disciples would be “one” as He and the Father are one (17:11). While the world often tells us we must compromise convictions in order to achieve unity, the Father and Son share a unity based on perfect truth. Our unity should be based on the truth of Jesus and His Word.
Jesus also prayed for our joy, asking for His joy to be fulfilled in us (17:13). The language the Lord used here suggests the beautiful image of a cup being filled to its very brim with spiritual and heavenly bliss. Whatever happens, we can have an overflowing joy through Jesus.
Next, Jesus prayed for our protection “from the evil one” (17:15). The Lord asked not for His followers to be evacuated from the dangers of Satan and his schemes, but rather that the Father would guard us and keep us from harm as we live for Christ.
Finally, Jesus prayed for our holiness. He asked the Father to sanctify His followers through His Word, which is truth (17:17).
Today, you can live with the confidence that Jesus never stops interceding for you in the presence of the Father.

Daily Walk Through the New Testament

September 3

Read John 16:1-28

As Jesus prepared to leave His followers physically, they were filled with despair. However, He promised to give them an even greater resource, His Holy Spirit. In John 16:5-15, Jesus described the ministry of the Holy Spirit in 3 essential ways.
First, the Holy Spirit comforts. Jesus called Him “the Helper” (vs. 7), which comes from a Greek term that means “to comfort or encourage.” Because the Spirit lives in us, He encourages our spiritual lives.
Second, the Spirit convicts (vs. 8). This is the work of the Spirit among those who do not know Christ. He shows lost people the reality of their sin and impending judgment, as well as their need to believe on Jesus.
Third, the Holy Spirit counsels. Jesus promised His disciples that the Spirit would guide them into all truth (vs. 13). The Holy Spirit is working today to help you understand God’s Word and empower you to live for the Lord.

Daily Walk Through the New Testament
September 23
Read Acts 7:42-8:3

Why is it that 2 people can look at the same sight and see different things? Why is it one sees something while the other doesn’t? Stephen saw the truth about Jesus. He knew Jesus was the Christ, sent from god to save us from our sins, the fulfillment to all prophecy and the hope of all humanity. And so he told others the truth about Jesus. But sadly, they did not see. The very truth that frees is also the truth that convicts. Having been exposed by the light of the gospel in Stephen’s message, the religious establishment lashed out. They picked up stones and silenced Stephen, but they did not silence his message.
A religious leader named Saul, who zealously persecuted the church, consented to Stephen’s death. He had not yet seen what Stephen had seen, but that would change in time. A blinding light would knock him off his horse, and his eyes would be opened. You never know who will put their faith in Jesus! The believer’s job is to share the truth. Some will respond in faith and some will not, but the truth is the truth just the same. Share it!

Daily Walk Through the New Testament

September 2

Read John 14:25-15:27

Jesus used a simple analogy to help His followers understand how to flourish spiritually: we must be in union with Him as a branch stays connected to a vine (John 15:1-8). In nature, a disconnected branch will never grow or bear fruit, but a connected branch almost always will. Branches must stay linked to the vine as their source of life. In the same way, believers must abide in Christ to experience His life.
Today, abide in Christ by crying out to Him in prayer, listening to Him speak through Scripture, and obeying Him by faith.

Daily Walk Through the New Testament
September 1

Answer these questions regarding your readings from this past week:

In what practical ways can you die to self or lose your life to serve others in             Jesus’ name.
How is your love for God demonstrated by your actions?